Thomas dabk



(No Model.)

IHDARK. v OOMRINRD RORTARLI-I RAILWAY AND WORKING OAR. No. 280,802. Patented July l0, 1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAs DARK, OE BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

COMBINED PORTABLE RAILWAY AN .WORKING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,802, dated July 10, 1883.

(No model.)

'.'oi all whom, t may conce/1b.

Be it known that I, THOMAS DARK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Portable Bailway and Working-Car, Of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to devices used in work on excavations, digging long trenches for sewers, deep cuttings, &c., the object being to facilitate such work by providing. not only the usual steam excavating appliances on a flat car, but also avoiding having to build a removable railway for such car or cars to run on, by combining therewith a portable railwaytrack Aon `which the car runs, and which is moved, when desired, by the car thereon and by its own appliances, all as fully hereinafter explained.

In making excavations for long sewers, 85e., usually a track, on which the working-car runs, is built on trestles for a certain distance, and after the work is done in that spot the trestle and track have to be taken down and apart, and carried ahead and there again built up, thereby consuming a great deal of valuable time and labor and wear and tear of material. By my simple devices the car and atrack-say ofifty-feet lengths or sections, or more-are drawn ahead to any required distanceby merely putting or havingrrollers in suitable journals under the car-track, and running the whole on a plank road laid on the ground by the side of the trench,which is done by simply carrying a rope or cablefahead as many feet as it is de- Y sired to move the car and track,and attaching it to an anchor, and the end on the drumon the car. The working-engine on the carfis then started, and the cable winds around the drum and draws the car and track ahead, the whole running on the planking or plank road beneath till stopped. Then the plank road is readily taken up from behind and relaid ahead for the next move forward. As soon as the car and track are at rest, the engine, which is disconnected from the wheels and connected only to the derrck, is set at work and the excavation begins. When the scoop is iilled,(not shown,) it is swung around out of the wa f, and the engine again connected to the car-axle and the .at the front end of the track by a strong bulwark or beam fastened to the extreme end of the track. This also keeps the car from running off, and holds it on while the car and track are being drawn ahead, all as more particularly hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of aworking-car with engine and derrick thereon, and standing on its own track, this in turn standing on the plank roadway beneath. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the car and track, and shows the end of the plank road, the rollers thereon, and their journals in connection with the track above. Fig. 3 is a plan ofthe railroad and plank road.

A represents a working excavating-car provided with the usual engine, B, and derrick,C. The details of their construction are not shown or described as they form no special part of my invention, but work in connection therewith.

Neither are the devices for connecting or disconnecting the engine from the car-axle and wheels shown, as such are old and well known. This car rests on an iron track fastened to the usual wooden side pieces and held by the usual cross-pieces, &c., the whole forming a section of arailroad-track, E, built light but strong, and which is independent of any ground-connection by reason of having journals b b, properly attached to the under side of the track E, with rounded-out bearings for the shaft or central part of large wooden rollers c c to run therein. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) Below these rollers, and on the surface of the ground, are laid sleepers F F, on which-lengths of pineflplanking G are laid, and breaking joints on each side of the track. On these planks the abovedescribed rollers b b, carrying the track E and car A, run, as well as rest thereon.

II is a strong beam or bulwark fastened to the Iend of the track E, against which the front wheels of the car rest, (see Fig. 1,) which gives the resistance when the car and its -track are drawn forward over the plank road, as before described. The rollers c c are set about fty feet apart, and to support the intermediate IOO track I arrange under track E a rest, d,which is a leg hinged to the under side ol the track, and held up by a hook when not used. (See Fig. l at E.) By this hinge it is always in its proper place, ready for use.

This railroad may be built of any length, usually from four hundred feet to six hundred feetbeing enough. The engine is so constructed as to be used for hoisting in connection with the derrick,whieh has,when in use, alarge cxeavating-scoop or iron bucket for hoisting dirt, gravel, &c., from the trench or ent, and which is then swung around to the rear, and then either dumped on a ear, or the engine is eonnected to its wheels and the ear run back and the scoop dumped into that part of the trench where the brick-work is completed, if in the ease of a sewer. This saves greatly in time and labor of men working with shovels illing a car with the dirt, Jvc., excavated, and also prevents blocking the road or street with the stuft excavated, as usually only one side ofthe street will be occupied by the track, tvc., when my device is used.

The plank road upon which the railroad runs requires to be built about one hundred feet ahead, so that when one part of the excavationlias been lini shed, an anchor is set ahead, with a rope connected to the drum f, and the engine draws the ear and railroad E thereby up to the point desired. This is accomplished in a very short space of time-usually done while the men are at dinner. The plank road passed over is then taken up and laid down ahead.

The railroad-track will be inlengths of lifty' leet, and these lengths fastened together or taken apart, as desired, those behind hauled up to those in front, and all jointed together. This labor-saving device has been in operation in Buffalo, N. Y., three months in digging a sewer-cut eighteen feet six inches deep, and has been found to be of great utility, as well as working admirably. Vhen work is done at one place, the car can be mounted 011 road-wheels and drawn away, and the railroadsections and the plank road all carted olt` until needed in another spot.

I do not claim the working-ear or its appli ances of themselves.

I claim* The combination of aworking-ear, A, (comprising'nsually an engine and derrick,) with a portable railroad-track, E, the working ear or ears ruiming on said road, the latter moving forward or back with the car,when desired, by means oiv1 rollers c c, running in suitable journals, b, and on a removable plank or other road, F G, all arranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature,in presence of two witnesses, this 'lst day ol' February, 1883.

THOMAS DARK.

\Vitnesses:

J. li. Dimmi, (leonor. DA nk. 

